1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of candles. More specifically, the invention comprises a dispensing formulation for use in a candle assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Candles have been used for illumination and other purposes for many centuries. Oftentimes, candles are used to dispense fragrances or compounds which are therapeutic in nature. These fragrances or compounds are typically incorporated into a gel or wax-based fuel for use in a candle which contains a heat source, such as a wick. The fragrance or compound is released as the candle formulation is volatized.
There are various disadvantages to the prior art candle gel or wax-based formulations. Many fragrance oils or therapeutic compounds are volatile liquids and tend to have a low flash point. The flash point is the lowest temperature at which there will be enough flammable vapor to ignite when an ignition source is applied. For example, Eucalyptol (a major component of Eucalyptus Oil) has a flash point of 120° F. Similarly, Rosemary has a flash point of 106° F. At these “flash points” the compound or fragrance will ignite when an ignition source, such as a lighted wick, is applied. Prior art gel formulations have been developed for use as a fuel in a candle, wherein the wick is in the body of the formulation and the formulation is in direct contact with the flame. Thus, prior art gel compositions teach the use of high flash point hydrocarbon oil (i.e. hydrocarbon oil having a carbon chain of 18 to 30 carbons) in combination with the low flash point fragrance oils or therapeutic compounds to minimize the risk of candle fire (U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,905 to Camp et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,484 to Wilson). Higher flash point oils tend to have high viscosity and can be expensive in cost. Candle gels made with high viscosity oils are also slow to pump from mix tanks to the site where the candles will be poured. It follows that these oils require more power to pump than lower viscosity oils, which move quickly and efficiently through pumps. Thus, the manufacturing process of higher flash point oils (high viscosity) is more expensive overall and less efficient than those gels having lower flash point oils (low viscosity).
To reduce the overall cost of candle, among other advantages, it would be desirable to mix the fragrance oils with lower flash point hydrocarbon oil gels which tend to have lower viscosity and are easy to transport in a manufacturing process. These lower viscosity oils are lower in cost. When exposed to an indirect heat source, such oil gels will melt fast to dissipate the aroma and spread the fragrance in the room faster. Such a dispensing formulation has the ability to retain the fragrance for repeated use. These indirectly heated dispensing formulations will also have a melt pool temperature that would be considerably lower than the flash point of the mixture of fragrance oil and hydrocarbon oil, thereby eliminating the fire hazard. Such a candle would not be used as a fuel (i.e. exposed directly to the flame), but instead act solely as a dispensing formulation. It is also important that the gel formulations are not too “soft” that the gel suffers from creep and risks pouring out of the container during transport.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an active chemical dispensing formulation which transports well and readily releases low flashpoint fragrances and therapeutic compounds at high concentrations when indirectly heated, without the risk of fire.